Rain Will Make The Flowers Grow
by TheDutchessL
Summary: Bella moves to Forks, only to realize she has no place to live. Can she avoid falling for pretty-boy Edward Cullen? Can she balance school with catty girls and jobs with little kids and an icky boss? Can she save a life? Can SHE survive? BXE, T for curses
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys! This is the Dutchess L, you can refer to me as L, and this is my first fanfic… If you want it to continue, I need reviews! Because I have no time, and if I am gonna do this thing consistently, I gotta know that people appreciate it! Anywhoozle…. 3 L! **

Chapter one...Renee

"I really wish I couldn't see what I am seeing right now." I muttered into my mother's ear, with an eye roll. Renee giggled girlishly.

"I know what you mean, Bella, doll. I would hate to see your grandmother do this... but let loose a little, baby girl. This is my big day, so be happy for me. Pweeez?" I sighed and resisted rolling my eyes again and gestured to her outfit, which was that of a fifties flapper girl, all red and black fringe.

"No, mother, this is your bachelorette party. If this was your big day, you wouldn't be dressed like that, remember? Tomorrow is your big day."

"HAH! You are sooo right as always. But I am about to do my big song and dance, so this should be my big day too. Right? Two big days? Maybe, Baby, Maybe. OHH EMMM JEEE! I made a rhyme!" I shrugged and let my mother dance away toward the stage, plotting to drive her home as soon as the song was over. I always know Renee was drunk when she starts talking in text. Renee's voice pulled me cruelly out of my plotting...

Here we are

and I'm waiting in desperate hope

that you and I will

go too faaaaaaaaaaa-ah-ah-aaar

you'll be here for me

baby please please please

sugar, be my star.

I shuddered, burying my head stubbornly in my hands. This is what Renee had wanted to do for her party, and I obliged, I had even helped her practice when she decided, but still, that doesn't mean I want to see the men who were screaming for my barely-under-forty mother. Men whom said mother would never throw a second glance at, she was that...ahhh...besotted with Phil, the kind of proud man that would punch out any one of the men that even considered wronging his damsel in distress. Even if said damsel wasn't exactly in distress. I tried to block out all sound entirely as the music sped.

It's alright baby

It's okay

Just let me know your

with me today

baby don't wound my

PRI--------------------duh!

Renee belted out, her voice becoming throaty. I removed my hands from my eyes and switched to ear cover, and reluctantly opened them to see if my mother had seen me cringe openly. But Renee was completely absorbed by her admirers to notice her daughter's repulsion. There was a shout, then, louder and clearer than the drunken slurs of the crazed barmen. It was so clear that it penetrated my clenched hands, or maybe it got through because of its mammoth significance.

"Halt! It's the police! Stop your proceedings, we have been informed of underage people in this, a strictly over twenty-one establishment!" I froze, and quickly weighed my options. Renee was still belting, and the bar was still utterly confused with men, alcohol, and dim lighting. Only one cop had yelled and the crowd hadn't thickened too much, so he could have been bluffing about the size of his force. I knew all of a sudden that it was possible. I would run. I knocked my table over as I bolted upright and didn't mind, it fueled the confusion. I dashed onto the stage, and pulled mother-flapper onto my back, which wasn't easy; my drunken mother was dead weight on my back. Well, I had gotten her out of situations before. Door! I hit it running, and broke into the cold night air, and there was only ten feet worth of platform before a five foot drop. I barreled unthinkingly toward the drop. Headlights flew around to the building, and for a split second, and I panicked. All was lost. And all of a sudden I recognized the Bella- head shaped dent in the door and laughed aloud. The doors popped open, and, inspired by the rescue, I leapt off the runway and into the car. Pushing Renee into the backseat, I slid into the front.

"Hey Bells." said a deep, amused voice.

"How the hell did you know to find us, Phil?"

"I had a distinct feeling when you told me where you were going, you would need some help." he chuckled. "How ya doin' baby?" He called into the back seat. Renee giggled. In that moment, I felt a rush of emotion. In this simple gesture, I realized that Renee had found the perfect man in Phil. The Renee-torch was being passed. It was time to go and live on my own, and let Renee grow old with Phil. The one thing I regretted was my inability to see my mother marry. I was off to a little town called Forks, Washington, and the only plane directly into Port Angeles from my ol' home town of London was the minute my Renee said 'I do'.

"Goodbye my mother." I whispered. "Take care of her, Phil." And Phil understood that there were no words to say, so he merely nodded, eyes still on the road.

***

I was seriously consisidering suicide. Okay, maybe I wasn't, but just the same, my thoughts were none too bright. It was stupid, really. Thinking myself so bright. I'm really not. I shouted heartlessly at Renee over the phone.

"Well why the hell would I come to this abysmal little hometown of yours if I didn't have a place to LIVE?"

"Well, sweetie, you wanted me and Phil to have a happy life without you or some such nonsense. This was the only place I knew you wouldn't get hurt. That I could always find you."

"Always FIND me? Mum, I won't have somewhere to plug in my phone; you will never be able to _FIND _me!"

"Well, babe, get a job and surely soon you will have enough for a studio apartment complete with furnishings, and then, soon enough, you make friends at school, and then, perhaps-"

"Oh! So you did enroll me in school? That was the one thing you remembered, eh? Not, you know, how I would survive?"

"Umm... not exactly... I thought it would be better if you went and enrolled yourself...it will be good for you to meet the administrators personally...."

I hung up the phone, sighing. I realized slowly had absolutely no idea how she was going to live. The phone rang again, -"A Little Fall of Rain" From Les Miserables- and I put it to my ear without checking the ID.

"Sweetie, I'm sorry." I cursed myself internally for not checking. "But don't hang up on me again, please. I got you a car. From Billy Black, remember, your uncky Billy? Jacob's father? You two would hang out together all the time when you were younger?

"Yeah. I guess you didn't screw up entirely. Thanks mum. I love you, and I think I'm going to be okay. For real."

"Okay, sweetie. Go get that car from Billy. Call me when you get the car, if you can."

"Love you."

I hung up, and hitched a ride into La Push.

Preview: "EWWWWWWW! Jake, you're still a big perv."

***Authors Note* I really didn't want to write one of these, Cuz they only turn out cheesy... but I'll try it.....Let's see how it goes. (Also, YES I know it seems unrealistic that Renee would do that stuff but JUST GO WITH IT PEOPLE!) Also, PHIL IS A NINJA! **


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys! This one is kinda… well, very- short. And no, this is not punishment for my lack of reviews and stuff; it was honestly just how I wrote it, back before I wasn't sure whether I actually was going to publish this. But back to lack of reviews, or subscribingness. The only review I got was from my best friend Ri. And only about three subscribing readers. One of whom was my best friend, Ri. *Sigh* Butcha know what? I didn't expect to become a hit over the two days it was up. And though it was a bit disheartening, it is okay. You guys are enough. Even if I only have two people and a friend, because I know that at least I am making some people smile….and earning the approval of said friend, who is very smart, and the original Twilighter, who turned me on to the series. That she approves of me being a fan and of what I am doing with our favorite story is really really an honor. So, I solemnly swear that I never will give up this story because of lack of interest. Cuz that's how I roll. Now, I may stop because I dislike the story. Or because I just have too much stuff on my plate. But I will never give up cuz of you, cuz you guys are enough. That being said…**

Chapter Two...The First Night

RECAP: I hung up, and hitched a ride into La Push.

"Hi, umm... can I help you?"

"Oh yes, you can, big boy...."

"We-he-he-helllllll...."

"EWWWWWWWW! Jake, you're still a big perv."

"B-bells? Is that you?" I giggled in response, and was swept up in a crushing bear hug. "DAD! Bella's here"

"Can't Breathe, Jake." My voice was muffled by the lack of air.

"I know, son." came Billy's low, rumbling voice.

"You Know?"

"Yes, Renee bought her the truck and I assume she's here to pick it up. Is that right, lil lady?"

"Yes, patronizing fifties police officer" I shouted into the house, with heavy sarcasm. Billy came into view, twitching his wheels as they creaked on the floor boards. He scowled mockingly, amusement warming his almond shaped onyx eyes.

"Nice to see you again, Bells. You've grown since the days you and Jake played house. You were the wife, and he was the husband... only you had a job, and he didn't. Sort of a male housewife....house husband. Quite the layabout, really. Well in anycase, I assume it gave him some sort of 'respect towards women' or some such nonsense. Well, in anycase..."

"Please, please, Dad, stop, allow me a last shred of dignity." Jake moaned. I doubled over laughing. He stalked over into the kitchen, brushing past me. "I don't see why you think it so funny, Bell-uh. You were there." We followed him, and I instinctually pushed Billy's chair.

"But I wasn't a layabout"

"Jake, pour sodas." Billy ordered. Jake snorted.

"Yeah, pour. Riiight." There was an island in the kitchen, and I wheeled Billy up to the edge and hopped onto a light oak stool. Jacob reached under the island to a cabinet and pulled out three cans of assorted colors.

"Cream soda for Bella, Pepsi for me, Diet for Dad. Not that it helps much." Jake said, sliding each of the pair their proferred beverages.

We talked casually of nothing important...Renee, and Jake's sisters, Robin and Rebecca, and Billy's occasional mention of Jacob's girlfriend, Leah Clearwater. When the conversation came to an abrupt standstill, Billy suggested we go get the car, which, he explained, wasn't actually a car.

They went out to the garage and my breath caught in delight. It was a big, bulbousy red truck, and I loved it. I spun Billy around in his chair in glee and awkwardly shook Jacob's hand after he had swung my bags into the cab, and opened the garage door. Billy tossed me the key, I failed to catch it, landing flat on my back in haste to retrieve it. Billy laughed at me and mussed my mahogany hair which landed, flowing in a river across Billy's shoes.

"Still our clumsy Bella." He murmured. I scowled, hopped in the cab, and peeled out of garage.

***

Ms. Cope heaped a pile of textbooks into my waiting arms. "I do believe that's everything" she said in grandmotherly voice. "We shall expect you here tomorrow at eight o'clock sharp. Your first class is in building three. Good luck, Mz Isabella Swan."

"Bella." I tossed over my shoulder as I stepped over threshold.

I walked out to the parking lot and had the abrupt feeling I was being watched. I turned awkwardly toward the source of heat on my back and was met with eyes that were the most incredible shade of green. I felt my heart stop, and then pick up again in double time, as I stared at the love child of emerald and jade. They were too perfect, it hurt to see. I watched them, transfixed, as they grew amused as our moment of eye contact stuttering uncomfortably, stretching overlong.

I clambered into in my truck immediately, without bothering to look at the body that belonged to the eyes that did interesting things to my body. I drove onto the highway and when, just before the Forks border, I found a sign that led me into a national park. Soon enough, I found myself in a clearing. I turned the engine off and pulled sweaters and blankets from my bags, clambered into an uncomfortable, awkward lying position in the cab, and drifted in and out of sleep through the cold night.

Preview!: "Ahem." said a voice like the softest crushed velvet. "Its Isabella, is it not?" I looked to the left and was met with the same shockingly green eyes as I had seen in the parking lot the day before

**I know, epic short. **


	3. Filler, and Authors Notes

**So, yes, I am a terrible person.**

**But forgiveness is divine!**

**AND I have an excuse. So. Here it is. Ready? My laptop crashed. I swear. And I lost every little bit I had for ALFOR. 10 chapters, people. Yeah. So. I am currently trying to rebuild PLUS finals PLUS Brazil soon… Ach, himmel. I will try to make more chapters, And actually, School is pretty much over so I can really focus. So here to distract you is the last chapter in Edward's POV.**

The music swelled, and I could feel it in every part of me, in my veins, rushing through my system, pounding and vibrating. This was the best feeling there was any more… that makes for a sad existence.

And it ended.

Shit…

Okay, out of hibernation. I got out of my Volvo and ran my hands through my hair… inhaling the fresh air that I lost in my dormancy. I opened my eyes.

Oh…

I saw her. HER. Someone. The feeling my music had given me was nothing like this. I saw her eyes and I was soaring. I felt my world awaken around me, and I could focus. She turned around.

Her eyes were chocolaty and deep and, for some reason, she seemed as entranced by me as I was by her. This made me grin. She blushed. She _blushed._ I exhaled shakily as she turned away.

When you find the reason for your existence… where do I go from here?

**HEY! I just realized something…. MAYBE I have had the ten chapters saved! OMFG! How did I not realize this? Oh, If it is, the next one is out tomorrow, I swear… **

**In The mean time, a great way to say I forgive you is to leave a review!**

**-l**


	4. Ch 4 The Cullens and the Job Market

**So, um, yeah, I actually did forget that I saved the ten chappies to the docx box ! YAY! So here is a nice long one. Shout out to the great Neko Warrior who is the reason I had it saved, she has 26 stories about anime, Twilight, A Great and Terrible Beauty, and much much more, she is my mentor on fanfics. If she ever gets around to reading this.**

**Also HUGER shout out to the amazing edwardcullenloverforever her amazing review made my day and she is truly wonderful. And, I am stealing her Idea. Go read hor stories or I stop updating. Muahahah.**

RECAP: I turned the engine off and pulled sweaters and blankets from my bags, clambered into an uncomfortable, awkward lying position in the cab, and drifted in and out of sleep through the cold night.

Back to Bella's POV

I awoke in a cold sweat, and pulled out of a cramped corner of truck's cab, and attempted to start the engine. It spluttered, coughed and died.

"Damnit all." I cursed, climbing out of the cab, joints popping and muscles goaning in complaint. I looked all around the truck for some clue as to why the engine had stopped. Red plastic grabbed my attention when I turned to the flatbed. It was full of red jugs, and the first one had a slip of white paper attached to it.

Bells-

This truck is a regular behemoth, and so I can only give to you a month's worth of gasoline... it's not much, but it's enough. Just don't ask where I got it from... I might have taken advantages of my position on the La Push reservation in ways I'm not exactly proud of.

Billy

I grabbed the first can of feul while doing a celebratory dance. I climbed back into the cab and the engine roared smoothly to life, "Thank you, Billy." Then caught sight of the clock on the dash. 7:50.

"Shit!" I muttered, peeling out of my clearing home. I sped onto the high way, merging dangerously. Within five minutes, I was at the school, and swung the car into the lot. I sprinted in to building three, and leapt -well stumbled, fell- over the threshold at 7:59, to much amused snickering. The teacher pointed to a seat in the back of the classroom, the last seat in the last of the long blacktopped tables, and I sat, trying not to be too awkward when putting my books on the floor.

"Ahem." said a voice like the softest crushed velvet. "Its Isabella, is it not?" I l looked to the left and was met with the same shockingly green eyes as I saw in the parking lot the day before. _Holy free fuck. _I realized it was taking an embarrassing second to answer.

"Ah, it is not." I said, attempting to brush it off, mocking his formal tone. He arched an eyebrow in surprise. "I-"

"Isabella Swan, new student.... come up and introduce yourself." The teacher interrupted her. _Damn_. I took my place at the front of the class, and the teacher introduced himself, shaking my hand with too much warmth. _Ew._ " Mr. Allen. You have the floor."

"I'm Bella, and I don't like public speaking. I just moved here, and thats really al-"

"Where you from?" a voice inquired from the right side of the classroom. I found the source to be a blonde haired boy with acne problems, He was over-muscled underneath his football coat which he wore with obvious pride. I wondered vaguely how someone with such a big head couldn't recognize an English accent.

"I'm English. Londonian if you're being specific."

"Sounds exotic." Mr. Muscley said slowly. It took me a slow second to process that he was trying to be seductive. I shuddered involuntarily, and a girl with dark curls shot daggers at me with cold eyes. I rolled mine, and, for some reason, against my will, looked to the green eyes for help. They watched the exchange with amusement, mingled with annoyance. For the first time I looked at the rest of him. And the wind was knocked out of me. I took in his perfect skin of the palest white, perfectly tousled bronze hair that I had an incredible urge to run my fingers through, and a perfectly chiseled chest. He wore all black, from his un-tucked button-up that was rolled up to the elbow to his faded jeans, and the color against his pure skin made him positively angelic, a dark, dark angel. I tore my eyes away from him and spoke.

"Not really." The class snickered. Where the hell did that come from?

"Jolly good show!" someone called. I didn't bother picking out the person; I closed my eyes and kept them that way as I spoke.

"No, none of us actually say that. And my teeth are perfect, and I prefer coffee over tea, and I drink it with corn flakes, not crumpets." I opened my eyes. The class was watching me, openmouthed. _Bitch, _I threw the mental accusation at myself as I sighed and backtracked. "I'm sorry, really, I'm just really tired and jetlagged and well, you know how in the English moor rain, we Brits can get a wee bit testy." she said, exaggerating her accent. There was a long silence.

"Well, ah, welcome Bella."

She sat back down next to....him.

He spoke to her, still amused. "Welcome indeed, Bella. My name is Edward Cullen."

* * *

Later that day, bony fingers with varnished red nails clamped around my wrist.

"British Bitch...." The girl with dark curls spat at her, pushing her against the locker, leaning up toward me, the infinitely taller girl. I rolled my eyes.

"First of all, that nickname is going to get old really fast. And second of all, stop chewing bubble yum, it makes your breath smell disgustingly sweet.

"My name's Jessica, remember it, because I will make your life a living hell at this school if you flirt Mike Newton ever again, or any of the men at this school who are known as mine. I'll leave a list in your locker." I pushed Jess off.

"Never touch me again." I forced my voice to be casual. "And I don't know who Newton is, except the guy who decided the solar system revolved around the sun. Not that you would know anything about that, idiot." I walked away, listening to her fume.

* * *

I was driving out of the parking lot after school when I saw the sign.

Help Wanted

Child Care At

Little Promises Nursey

Afternoon Shifts

JUST SHOW UP! 3-5 o'clock

I reached out of the window and grabbed the sign and used what little battery and wifi I had on my pitiful little laptop to get directions. I swung massive truck toward my destination. Upon arrival, I opened the glass doors and entered a roomful of cute kids. I sighed in happiness. I found the perfect job, I love kids.

"Johnny! Don't stick that in there!" screamed a frazzled looking woman in mid-thirties. Bella waded through the four year olds to get to her.

"Hi, I'm Bella. I'm here for the job....?" The woman flung herself at Bella, who brought her hands up in defense. But the woman was hugging her around around the waist.

"Oh, my god, thank god you're here. First of all, are you a pedophile?"

"N-no."

"Great, you're hired. Um, okay, you get half of these guys, your room is through the door, its called the yellow room, the pay is 7.50 per hour, you work till five when parents come, so thats two hours, five days a week, ahhh, that makes it 75 a week. There is a playgroud out back, use it when its over 60 degrees, for the first week ask parents for id during pick-ups, since you're new. Snack is served at four, its delivered by the people from the supermarket. Play class games, or have them go to stations. Pretty much just amuse them. You can play a DVD today, cuz its your first day, but not every day, got that? Good. Now go introduce your self." She spun her around so she that she was facing the class. "Boys and girls, I have some one to introduce you to." She gave Bella a little push forward.

"H-Hey guys! I'm Bella and I'm taking over for..."

"Mrs. Arnold" Frazzled lady whispered in her ear.

"Mrs. Arnold. So My class, get on your feet, and we are going to skip all the way to the yellow room. C'mon, everybody." Half of the assembled four year olds jumped up, giggling. "Do you all now how to skip? Its easy, Just watch my feet... of course, I'm terribly clumsy, so if I fall, don't fall, just help me up. Ready? And one, two... one, two... one, two... one, two... one, two..." I said, counting as I skipped her steps. The children followed suit. I fell, and they giggled more, helping her up. When they got into the yellow room she spotted a circular rug covered in a multitude of colorful squares.

"Circle time! Everyone sit on the edge of the circle, let's play a name game so I can get to know each and everyone of you."

* * *

"Hey!" I shouted to the frazzled lady whose name I found out in time was Mrs. Popple.

"Yeah, Bella?"

"Um, how did I do?"

"Just lovely."

"I was just wondering if there were any other jobs that I could apply for? Ya know, like an evening shift?'

"Well I hear there is an opening down at the Lodge...."

* * *

Soon I was at The Lodge, and was hopping out of the truck. I rushed inside the doors and was met with two more sets of doors. One had a bright pink sign that said 'APPLICANTS THIS WAY' I pushed through the doors to see a balding man was sitting in a small room at a little desk. He looked at me appraisingly. I got a sudden sense of how unpleasant this man was. He was hairy everywhere except where hair should be, wore a shirt and tie that suggested vanity, and his mouth was twisted up into a yellow grin...or maybe it was a smirk...a sneer? I felt myself begin to figit uncomfortably under his probing stare.

"You'll Do." He said in a gravelly voice. "You work till midnight, when we close. You get 50 at the end of the week, keep your tips, and you get two 20 minute breaks, the staff room is stocked with dinner. It ain't much, but its all you got it, isn't? Now, go through those doors ask for Alice, You share the smokers section. She'll get you ready for your shift, show you the ropes, etc." Bella hurried to the doors he jutted his thumb to. "Oh, and new girl.... what's your name, sugah?"

"Bella. Bella Swan."

As I pushed through the doors, I was maimed by a pixie. Well that's what it felt like. When the small, cold person leapt off her, she spoke.

"Hey Bella! You're the new girl? I'm Alice! We are just going to be the best of friends! How do I know your name? I asked my brother who he was staring at, and he pointed to you, and he said your name was Bella! Course you didn't hear anything We said cause you were asleep, remember? Why? Were you asleep, I mean?"

"Oh, bad night sleep. Um... Whose your brother?" I asked, confused. I found myself liking Alice, after the two seconds. so enthusiastic. Alice laughed.

'"Edward Cullen. I think he likes you, lil' lady. Any ways, get your butt in there." Alice shoved her into a small dressing room and threw some thing under the door. Something.....pink. I put on skirt that was way too short, and it had an equally short petticoat, and a tight shirt which a size to small and hemmed four inches too high, leaving a large sliver of silver-pale skin. I turned to the mirror, the outfit was obviously meant to be sexy 60s. I just look ruffled.

"AAAAALiice", I groaned "You gotta be kidding me." Alice giggled. I'd buttoned the shirt all the way up to the top in rebellion. I walked out of the dressing room, and Alice appraised me. She rolled her eyes and unbuttoned the top three buttons. "Alice!"

"Keep it that way. Keep the boss happy, get more tips. This isn't exactly the place to peddle feminism, It annoys me too, somewhat, but its money. Right? You need it, I think." she said, as she gently rolled my skirt at the waist until it was inappropriate, and tossed her fishnets which Bella quickly yanked up to her waist. All of a sudden, I realized why Alice was gliding as she pinned a name tag on her shirt.

"No. Alice, I can't do this. No. Way. In. Hell."


	5. Ch5 Blades

**A/N: Quick shoutout's: Props to my newfound editor; and I am sure you are tired of hearing how amazing edwardcullenloverforever is, but…. She just is. **

**Also, thanks Miss-EmmettCullen for the pm, they make me feel spesh, and I amm glad you love my story!**

**And speaking of my story….. **

Chapter 4...Blades

recap: "No. Alice, I can't do this. No. Way. In. Hell."

"What?"

"Unless you are telling me that the reason you're wearing roller blades is  
because you find it fun and they make your ass look good, I quit." Alice's eyes  
widened in surprise, then turned curious.

"Bella, all the waitresses wear blades. Didn't you know?"

"Oh yeah! 'Cause this is the face of a person in the know!"

"Bella, what's the big problem?"

"What's the big problem? I'm so clumsy I'm practically disabled; you can't  
expect me to get on those things!" Something clicked in Alice's eyes.

"Oh, yeah, Edward said something about that." I felt my face warm, and then  
flush scarlet, not because I remembered how I stumbled into the classroom,  
but that he paid enough attention to see that, and he had talked about it with her.  
"Come on, we still have ten minutes 'til our shift starts; I'll teach you,  
it's easy as walking." I rolled my eyes. Clearly, Alice had never seen me  
walk. Alice used an extraordinarily strong finger to push me into a sitting  
position and grabbed my ankle.

"Remind me to never pick a fight with you." Alice laughed, and the sound was  
all silver. "And also, you do realize that this looks like the opening scene  
for a middle grade porno?"

"How would you know what a middle grade porno looks like?" my newfound friend  
murmured, fiddling with the blades she was shoving on my feet. Abruptly, Alice  
had my elbow, and was pulling me around the room. I shouted a stream of  
profanities until I was able to steady my self... but my legs were parting  
dangerously fast.

"DAMMIT! Alice, you better tell me how not to die right now, or so help me  
you GOD-DAMN PIXIE!" Alice spoke in a way that made me think that she wasn't  
as concerned about this as she should be, a maddeningly calm voice, all too  
slowly.

"Bring your foot up to the other one, the one still under you." I shakily  
obeyed and was smoothly gliding for five seconds and then my feet glided apart  
again, and I pulled them back together again.

"Good girl," Alice said in her tinkly voice-o-silver. "You got it; now  
let's put a tray in your hand." Alice put a tray in the hand that wasn't  
gripping her arm with ground breaking ferocity. It threw me for a curve for a  
few seconds, and then I steadied myself. I was getting the hang of it. And all  
too soon, Alice was throwing me more curves, putting cups and plates and  
random silverware. I wondered how she was doing this, and when I checked, I  
realized that I was no longer clinging to Alice's arm. Needless to say, I  
screamed and fell. Alice rolled her eyes as she picked me up, who swore  
fluently.

"I think you got it." The pixie chuckled. "Let's just see you start, and  
break. Good girl. Now, I imagine that you aren't equipped with other tip

getters?"

"What?" Alice pushed me again, this time onto a small stool, and went to

work.

I stared at the girl in the bathroom mirror, she was Snow White, with skin so  
pale white, her eyes and hair contrastingly dark and beautiful, pale pink  
painted her cheeks, and her lips were seductively red. Alice's work was  
beautiful, but I hated it. It was sad, what I had come to, sleeping in  
trucks, and flaunting beauty to the men out in that bawdy restaurant, I felt  
like a **. I ran out into Alice's arms who stroked my hair, shushing my

tears.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~Alice's Point of View~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I didn't know why my new found friend was crying, exactly. She bawled in my  
arms and I frantically tried to calm her since our shift was in two minutes. I knew  
she didn't like showing herself off to those scumbags, but neither did any of  
us, at least, not on this scale. I was in it because I needed the money to be  
the uber fashionista that I am. Sure, Carlisle and Esme were rich enough,  
but they had this crazy concept of, you know, college. They were generous  
enough as they would pay full tuition for all five children in the space of  
two years; I can't bring myself to ask for shopping money.

I stroked her hair and pulled her face up toward mine, brushing away her  
tears lightly. She looked at me with so much trust, I had a sneaking suspicion  
that she had no one else to trust. I promised myself to be there for her. I  
also saw a secret her eyes were hiding, and I didn't understand it. I told her  
this.

"I see your secret. I see there is a reason you stay even though you hate it.  
It's going to be all right," I said in my best supportive voice. The trust  
didn't leave her eyes, but it mingled with fear.

"How can you know that?" she whispered. I tried to brush the seriousness  
aside.

"Because you have friends now! You are going to sit with me and Jazz  
and Em and Rose and Edward! Oh, you should totally be one of those miraculous  
sassy chicks who comes into a story right about now and pulls Edward, the fifth  
wheel of our group, away from his womanizing ways. Ooh, this is going to be so  
wonderfully cheesy!" My voice excited. Her eyes sparked when I mentioned my  
brother's name. I felt a surge of love for the girl I'd barely met. We  
hugged and I pulled her up, giving her my last words of advice while holding her by the  
shoulders to make her listen without collapsing.

"Call yourself Bells for the younger men--crowd, and Isabella for the  
older. Take the tips by hand only, no matter where they reach. You're going to  
be the cute aloof waitress, okay? Wink at the boss, but refuse to talk to him.  
NEVER EVER EVER," I said, whispering now, "let yourself be alone with him. Got  
it? That is the most important thing, girl, never think that he just looks  
icky." I watched her eyes, they were already growing the hardened edge of a  
Lodge waitress. She nodded, and whirled out of the lounge, stumbling slightly,  
to her first table. College guys. "Godspeed, Bella," I whispered to her.

***Author's note! Let's play a game! I made one Twilight book reference and  
one Friends (The TV show) reference in this chapter. Be the first to guess 'em  
both correctly -If no one gets both, whoever gets one-......I don't know, gets  
the next chapter dedicated to them, and I will add a quote of their choice....  
So review me your guess, and your quote, and you will find out in the next  
one.**

**~L**


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note~ Hey dolls! (Dolls? Do any males read this? Somehow I doubt it. Dudes, if you are here, tell me and I will acknowledge you in my intro. If you want to. `Til then, Dolls~) I know it has been a long time, but I am on vacation so doncha blame me. BTWS: I am told that I keep changing the person. (I go from narrarator talking about Bella to just Bella) This is because when I was writing this originally, it was in 3****rd**** (narrarator speak) and I changed it half way through. Sorry! It will be 1****st**** povs from now on.**

**Also, I have been forgetting my disclaimers, so for all my past chapters, and this one, I do not own The Twilight Saga, or any Characters or Affiliates of it. But, Steph, if you are looking for a gift for me, I will take Jasper and Edward. And Carlisle, if you have extra.**

**And Finally, said the queen of Authors notes as she descended her throne, is this too short? Tell me, if so, I'll make 'em longer…**

Chapter 5...Another night

~*~*~*~*~*BACK TO NARARATOR BELLA~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I lay exhausted in the cab of my truck, feeling the leftover heat from the drive to my clearing slowly wear off, giving way to the obnoxious concentrated cold. My breath collected swiftly, and disappeared just as quickly, and I closed my eyes, reliving my evening.

***

I bladed (tripping up twice) to the table of five men, and could immediately spot the ring-leader. He sat closest to me, and was the only one talking, the rest were laughing. I felt my teeth clench and tried to pry them apart without looking awkward.

"Hey, boys, I'm Bells. What can I get for you?"

"How 'bout some beers and a neck rub?" I focused on my hands relaxing at my side, calm, NOT swinging up to hit his face…

"Raniers all around?" He grabbed my hand and I could smell the beer already on his breath.

"On me," he said, "…and not just the beers, love." He pulled me closer. I wrenched my arm out of his grip and fell, blades flying, backwards, and into the balding man, my boss, whose hands went to my shoulders, and I spun away into the kitchen. Agh. I heard their guffaws through the door as I fiddled with the tap, filling and spilling five glasses with beer in my shaking hands.

I took them their beers, mortified, at having to look at them again... Scratch that, mortified about the whole thing in general. The man held a tip in his hand, and reached for my waistband with a snarky, "For your trouble, _Bells._" I caught his wrist in my hand so as to take the tip in my other one. To my utter surprise, he lurched up from the table and grabbed my waistband. With his free hand, he took the tip from his trapped fist and reached for my waistband again, but a silvery hand took the tip smoothly. I let go of the man's wrist as she handed me the tip, and skated away without a word. I sat at the bar and rested my wheels.

"ALLIE," I heard the drunken man groan. "You spoilt our fun." Alice spoke quietly.

"You boys should know that is a naughty kind of fun. Leave Bella alone. She is too innocent for you big boys."

"And you aren't?"

I didn't listen to Alice's repartee, putting my head on the bar. Ew. It was sticky. I traded for my chin on my arms. I felt a breath on my neck, hot and bitter.

"I am not paying you to sleep, Baby Bella. Get on your blades and stop moaning. No one likes a girl who feels anything other than men."

***

I don't know if I actually ever slept that night, images swirled in my mind and haunted my possible dreams.

***

I peeled out of the clearing and stumbled into class just in time. Edward was sitting in his seat, iPod on, eyes closed. I willed him to open his eyes just so I could see his beautiful greens. They opened. Hot damn. I gotta will things more often. His eyes found mine (it wasn't hard, I was staring into his). They warmed as he flashed a crooked smile. He closed them again.

I walked down the rows and my foot caught the leg of my desk. I was falling; I waited for impact. The ground was surprisingly warm. And smelled like a dark wood. I opened my eyes and looked at my surroundings. I was in Edward's lap. He was looking at me with an arched brow. We were surrounded by Clair de Lune. I had absolutely no idea where it was coming from. I hummed along with the melody, and he smiled at me. And then frowned. He was looking at a boy with blond baby curls, and a packet of papers in one hand. He looked at me. I still didn't get it. He sighed, and looked at me.

_What? _I mouthed. He sighed, and pushed my hair back behind my ear, where he whispered, "Too late." His cool, yet fragrant, breath on my neck made me shiver and I looked at him quizzically. He jerked his head to the right. Blond Curl boy was in my seat, taking a test. I realized what happened. I was stuck in Edward's lap. I had known him for a day. And I was in his lap. And I was listening to Clair de Lune and smelling his woodsy yet warm sent and his arms were far more comfy then my car and I was so aware of him, but blissfully unaware and it all floated away….

**Quick thanks to edwardcullenloverforever as always, and because no one made a guess about the twi quotes, this Chapter is dedicated to Neko Warrior, who, this summer is putting out an awesome fanfic that you guys will like, that you guys will love, its called umbrella, so Alert her and be on the lookout for that.**

**Also, I am posting a Jasper One-Shot, that may become more (but probs only after this story finishes…**) **So check that out!**


	7. Ch 7 More Cullens and diagnoses

**So I am sure you are tired of me giving good authors promos. But if you like Harry Potter and Slash, definitely go check out Neko Warrior's new oneshot that is turning into a moreshot, and review it up. **

**By the way, sorry for the lateness, I just moved to brazil for 6 months its, kinda killed my schedule. **

**Something I just noticed, the word killed Looks like one of those pointy dinosaurs. Y'know, Ankylosaurids.**

**I don't own anything Twilight related except for, because of the lovely edwardcullenforever, a tee shirt.**

Chapter 6… More Cullen's, and a Diagnosis

**Edward's POV**

She fell asleep. Not into a deep sleep, either. Into one of those light sleeps that was so attractive but blissfully dangerous. She moaned and _mmm_ed and put her arms around my neck, nestling her face into my shoulder. I did not know how Mr. Allen wasn't seeing this, how she isn't waking up as the bell is ringing, and how I am carrying her out of the class without losing my mind and laughing and crying.

I carried her into the library and deep into the shelves. I sat down, cross legged, and she adjusted her position slowly, sleepily, and –ah, Edward you are such a sicko- _ sensually. _I yanked my cell out of my pocket and hit 007 –Alice programmed her own speed dial-

"Edward, dahling, it has been way to long. I cannot believe we haven't talked in over an hour, how dare you not call me? Well you have to fill me in on everything that happened since we dined on cereal and dear Esme's lovely orange juice." Alice teased me in an English accent.

"Alice, cut it, I need you."

"Mm, big boy, you know I'm with Jazzy, and though I ain't exactly a good Christian girl, I am generally against incest…"

"Alice! This is serious!"

"Well, no need to snap. What's up?"

"It's Bella. I… I dunno what to do."

"Oooh, what happened? Did you kiss her? Do you love her? Do you have her in your arms and she is blissfully unconscious? "

"The third one. How did you know?"

"I'm Alice. I know everything. Don't worry, I'll gather everyone, stat."

"Alice, I don't need everyone. Maybe just you and Jazz, I just wanna figure out what the hell to do."

"Too late. We'll be down in a second."

"Alice, I haven't even told you where I" -**click-** "am." I sighed, and turned to Bella. "I guess it is just us until Alice finds us, which she will. Don't ask me how she knows, she just… does. Anywho, what would you like to do?" Bella moaned in her fitful sleep and snuggled closer to me. It took a great amount of restraint not to moan myself, and I shook the feelings off. _Get a hold of yourself. You cannot be at all attracted her, it is completely immoral. Unethical. Would make you a complete douche. Okay, I clearly need a distraction. _"Hey, Bella, I am being quite rude, having internal discussions. Now, let us see. Ah, we are in a Library. Let's read, huh? What do you like? We seem to be submerged in the fiction section… Ah, hell, let's do this at random." I closed my eyes, reached up, and grabbed a book of the shelf, flipped it open, and read.

"My life was like a moonless night. Very dark, but there were stars- points of light and reason… and the n you shot across my sky like a meteor. Suddenly everything was on fire, there was brilliancy, there was beauty. When you were gone, when the meteor had fallen over the horizon, everything went black. Nothing had changed, but my eyes were blinded by the light. I couldn't see stars anymore. And there was no reason for anything." _Wow. Ahem. How do I follow that act? _

"Wow, Eddie, your passion is interesting, being as you have only known her for a day."

Shit.

My siblings were standing around me, having heard anything, quite possibly thinking I was declaring myself to a dead girl. No. I should be so lucky. I was declaring myself to a girl who was moaning and clinging to me.

"Rose, Jazz, Alice, Em- Especially YOU, Em. You can make fun of me all you want once we figure out what to do."

"Fine." This came from Jasper, my link to some sanity in this family. He sank to his knees next to me, quickly took Bella's pulse and opened her eye. Em got down next to him.

"Carlisle's little protégée, aren't we?"

"Shut up, Em… Pupils dialated… whites are stressed… Eyes are rolling, she is having bad dreams…."Alice bent on Jasper's other side.

"Can we wake her up, Jazz? I hate seeing her like this." _She _hated seeing her like this?

"No, she is very susceptible to stress right now. If we are all right here when we wake her up…"

"Oh."

"Edward, how did she fall asleep?"

"_How..?"_

"Immediately, slowly, conscious of it, unaware?"

"Oh… I would say immediately… she curled up and dozed, and it seemed involuntary…"

"She's overstressed, and very tired… she shouldn't sleep like this, no, she needs real sleep, Or else she is gonna be seriously sick. Take her to the house, wake her up, explain what's happened, let Esme take care of her, and then tell Carlisle what happened… See you two at dinner."

And in their funny way, Alice and Jazz said goodbye with their eyes, and they were off. Rose and Em said their goodbyes, with Em saying "It is never good when a girl falls asleep in your lap, Ed, dahling."

I turned to Bella. "Alright, doll, let's figure this thing out."

***

Bella POV

I woke up in a bed, and couldn't remember my dream. A woman was standing over me, caramel haired, with green eyes that flecked with brown. She reminded me of a mother cat, a fiercely protective kind of leopard. The woman had the elegant appearance of a woman who love everything around her with a passion. He caramel hair was tied into a French braid, she wore fitted jeans, and a swirling pastel blouse. Her voice was a bell tone and it conveyed along with her mouth that she was very happy.

"Now dear, I should know a little something about being sick, so tell me what is going on" I remained mute. "Now, dear, I tried that bit for a long time and it just wasn't good for me or my family. Anyway, would it help if I introduced myself?" I nodded.

"Esme Cullen."

"Cullen…"

"Or I guess you know me as Emmie, Eddie and Allie's mommy. And I know you are Bella. So. Now will you tell me your big secret?" I shook my head, or rather, allowed it to kind of loll on the pillow…. She seemed to get the message, though. "Fine. I'll start. My name is Esme Cullen And I have Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease. I'm probably going to die in a year. And in the Mean time, I get to go Crraaaaazzzyyy!"

"How are you so happy then?" It burst through my lips before I could stop it. She laughed again.

"My dear, we all must learn to be happy with our lot and accept our fate. Sure, I would love to stay with the children I raised and the man I love, but I can't, so, one has to get over it. So what is wrong with you?"

"Lack of Sleep, I think."

"Oh. Well that's nothing. Now, let's get you some food."

**Yes it is a real disease. When I was looking them up, I saw it and decided the irony was too good to pass up.**

**You know the drill, reviews, please.**

**Love, L**


	8. Ch8 Lunch, Volvo, Marriage

**So my internet went out for two days, so I mourned, and made a reasonably long chapter, methinks! Hmm… Shoutouts to nerdasaurus93 (Ri, I don't even know how to spell that) For being my lovely beta unofficial. (If you went about deleting things on your profile why didn't you delete that scary god story? I'm an agnostic = big dude in an alley is going to rape me. Fml. And who would be so stupid as to take a shortcut at night which involed an ALLEY? That is classic crime scene set up. Seriously though. That thing bothers me. Why am I telling you this in an author's note? See what is happening? We are wasting people's time. I probably lost like a bunch of readers all because of YOU and GOD, and STUPID ALLEY GIRL. RAWR.)**

**Also, to keep austin weird for her awesome story amazing catch, go read it, it makes me smile.**

**Neko Warrior for long reviews!**

**And Ms. Emmett Cullen for awesome reviews that make my day.**

**This authors not is, as always ridiculously long, but once again, it is a long chapter!**

**DISLAIMER: I do not own anything twilight related, except a tee shirt. ******

Chapter 8… Lunch, Volvo, Marrige.

Esme handed me a fluffy bathrobe. I looked at her in confusion, but I couldn't look for long. She spun me around and steered me into a bathroom as big as my bedroom back in London. And slammed the door.  
"Uhh… Ms. Cullen?"  
"Esme."  
"Why am I in the bathroom?"  
"Don't you like it?"  
"No, it is a lovely bathroom, but you said that we were going to eat lunch?"  
"I thought you would like a shower first." I nearly cried with joy. I had been going on, what, four days without a shower?  
"I would, very much. Thanks." Esme mmmed and then was gone. I turned to the shower. The shower was huge, looking to be equipped with about a million different massaging water pressures. I stepped into the large glass room and turned the water on full blast. I washed my clothes, still on my body, this being the only chance I was going to get. When that was done, I removed them and threw them out of the shower. The water was too hot, but I made no move to change it, letting the steaming water flow over my body. This must be bliss. Showering after not showering for a little under a week. I quickly washed my entire body and massaged shampoo into my hair and then rinsing, replacing it with conditioner and rinsing. And then repeated the process again. Well, you know what they say… Lather. Rinse. Repeat. And I'm nothing if not thorough.

I hopped out of the shower and wiped off the mirror. My body was decorated with red splotches from the too-hot water. I laughed, I looked rather diseased. I turned resignedly towards my wet clothes and found they had been replaced with something folded and dry. On top was a note.

_Bella~  
Put your old clothes in the dryer. Wear these! Why did you wash them in the shower? That's weird. You do a lot of weird things, you know that? Sleep in cafeterias, wash clothes in the shower, etc. You would think you would eat, sleep, and wash things at home. Cabin fever, much? Yes, I am rambling in note form. Why? Cuz I'm…  
~Alice! _

_  
_I laughed, but under the sound I heard the fear I felt… Alice was tripping upon my secret. I would just have to lay low for a while. In the meantime, I put on Alice's clothes. They fit well. I turned to the mirror, and saw, reflected there, a silvery full length mirror behind me. I turned to it. There was another note.

_Me again!  
Do you like it? I was thinking something that said, "Hi, I am meant to take care of children, but all the little girls will want to be just like me, and all the little boys will want me to take care of them. And the big boys will want me to take them home." That way neither of your bosses will fire you.  
Alice._

_  
_I looked down at myself. Well, Alice knew what she was doing, even if what she was doing was silly and unnecessary. I was wearing blue jeans that fit perfectly, navy blue suede ankle boots, a tank top of the same color, and a cropped white jacket. It was flattering. But silly, silly, as I said. **  
**I ran a brush through my hair and went downstairs. There were six people there. Alice, the pretty pixie, sat in the lap of a tall, absurdly handsome man with honey blond curls. The pair was in front of the island in the kitchen, on a stool, and noticed me first. Alice beamed.

"Do you like it? I thought at first something bright red, to give the blush extra punch, but then Edward said that you wouldn't like the dress I had picked out. It was bright red, a silk wrap, Asian material but a rather Londonian cut… One of my creations… so is the one you are wearing, and I suppose I was just looking for an excuse to use the red… anyway, this is Jasper…"  
The blond smiled a charismatic smile. I felt a warmth over take my system, easing my nerves. The pair got off the stool and Alice flitted to the other people in the room, introducing them one by one.

"Carlisle." A man by the stove, writing in a notebook, looked up and smiled. He had twinkly blue eyes, clear with happiness, white blond hair, and a professional demeanor. Everything about him shone.

"His wife Esme, you know her… Emmett." A brawny man at a cutting board looked up and grinned, waving with a cleaver. I smiled back, he had an infectious happiness, with hazel eyes and mussed chestnutty curls.

"Rosalie." The most traditionally beautiful of them all looked over at me, blond waves falling in rivers over her shoulders, a shade between Carlisle's and Jasper's blond. Her eyes were blue-green-gray changing as they moved. I felt a mild chill radiate from her. She was regarding me with clear dislike. Why? I would worry about it later.

"And you know Edward…" Ah yes. My dark angel. This time he was an interesting clash between dark and light, however, with a light gold sweater and black jeans. I grinned at him. He grinned back. When our eyes met, I felt my heart flutter. Alice flounced into the center of my frame of vision. "And we are the Cullen-Hale Family. Now, listen up, this tends to be confusing. Em and Jazz are Esme's two boys. Rose, Edward, and I all came from Carlisle's previous marriage. Rose belongs with Emmett, I belong with Jasper, and Edward is our fifth wheel. Oh, and Esme and Carlisle are married. They just didn't sign the co-adoption papers so that we could be together legally. Got it?"  
"Got it," I answered, more than a tad overwhelmed.  
"Pixie!" Emmett called. "You are scaring her!" He seemed more amused at this than annoyed.  
"Well it's not like I am telling her we are all vampires or something," Alice grumbled. Everyone laughed.

Esme came into the room. Funny, I hadn't even noticed her leaving.  
"Lunch!" I watched as everyone moved with pageantry into the adjoining dining room. I wasn't completely aware that I wasn't following them until Edward, the last of the procession, grabbed my hand and tugged me along. I followed him into the dining room, which was almost completely taken up by an artful antique table of mahogany.

We ate baked fish, warm bread, and fruit salad, joking like the family they were, a status that reached out effortlessly to include me. When lunch was over, everyone smiled at me and pointedly left the room. Except Edward. He rolled his eyes.  
"Very subtly giving us privacy, I suppose. Do they think I am going to propose to you?" I stuck my tongue out at him.  
"Well, if you are, get down on one knee. I am a traditional girl." I smiled at my joke. But the smile became a gasp when he actually did it, taking something out of his pocket.  
"Will you, Ms. Swan, make me an honest man?"  
"It w-would t-take more than m-m-marriage to do th-that." He rolled his eyes again –he does that a lot- and grabbed my right hand. He put what looked to be a paperclip bent into a circle on my ring finger. He got off his knee and sat back in the chair next to me. "Thanks, Edward. It is beautiful. But it is on the wrong hand," I said between giggles. He frowned, and was able to hold the serious expression for all of two seconds before laughing too. "Well, then, I guess it's not official. Damn," he said, in mock disappointment. I looked at the clock, and sighed.  
"I have to get to work." His mock disappointment melted into real disappointment.  
"I'll give you a ride." We walked out of his house –mansion- and into a silver Volvo on the curb. We rode in companionable silence until I broke it.  
"Edward, can I ask you something?"  
"Anything for my fiancée."  
"How did I get to your house?" He shrugged as if it was simple.  
"I carried you."  
"You _carried_ me?"  
"Sure."  
"But… you didn't have t-… I mean… I'm not so light, and.." He snorted and rolled his eyes.  
"Bella, don't be typical. It doesn't suit you." I sighed and tried again.  
"Okay… but then, why was everybody home at lunchtime?" He turned a dazzling crooked smile on me.  
"They were worried about you.  
I stared at him disbelievingly. He stared right back. I got uncomfortable and looked at the speedometer.  
"HOLY FUCK!" His crooked smile turned into a smirk.  
"Language, Bella. Now, what, may I ask, is bothering you?"  
"What's BOTHERING me? You are doing 120!"  
"120?"  
"120 MILES PER HOUR. And you aren't LOOKING at the road. And WIPE THAT SMIRK OFF YOUR FACE! _WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING AT ME?!?!?!"_  
"You have quite the temper," he said, rolling his eyes (again!) and dropping down to 80.  
"Oh, that is so much better," I drawled, sarcastically. "And damn right I do."  
"You curse a lot when you are mad."  
"No, I curse a lot when my life is being endangered." He ignored my rebuttal. It was silent again. Once again I broke it.  
"So, um… I thank you for everything… is there a way I can repay you?" He deliberated for a little while.  
"Well… how about a date? Thursday night, after you get off?" My heart may have stopped beating. _Breathe, Bella.  
_"Uh… sure? You know a place that is open that late?" He grinned back at me.  
"Kinda."  
"Well, okay."  
We sat drove for a few more minutes. This time Edward broke the silence.  
"I have a question for you."  
"Anything for my fiancé," I mimicked his voice… poorly.  
"Where do you work?" he asked, chuckling.

Hours later, Alice dropped me of in the parking lot of the high school, into my truck. I was so tired I considered sleeping right there. But that would look suspicious. So I drove to my clearing, and settled down for another night of cold, painful sleep. But this night was different. Tonight, I dreamt of Edward Cullen, my "fiancé", and –it was pointless to deny it- my _crush_.


	9. Ch9 Shopping List

**Hey guys! I know it has been a while, two-ish weeks, I think, but I just can't decide what my priorities should be regarding fanfics. So, I am going to run a little competition; that feeds my desire for reviews just a little bit. The next chapter will be 'The Date', and I am going to post it at the same time as I post my next chapter for "If You Want Me Forever" Which is my Bella Jasper fic, a little less fluffy/cliche, a little more edgy then this one, obviously, (I mean, its Jasper!) and see whichever one gets more positive reviews will be the one that I update more frequently on. Got it? Good. **

**Does anyone out there just get really bored and likes to go read nearly complete Twilight fics, just for fun and the need of less commitment? If so, Go check out Meeting Again (title may have changed) by Nerdasaurus93, it's perfect for YOU!**

**Also, If you are a one shot fan, go check out Neko Warrior, she does lots of amazing one shots, about every story known to man, and a really good Drarry Slash one just came out. If you know what Drarry slash means,, go check it out, and if you don't, check out all the other more innocent stories she has up there.**

**Ohkay, I think we are finally done, thanks as always for dealing with my authors notes, nearly as long as the stories themselves! *wink***

**Oh! And Chloe Cullen, as always you never fail to make my day. Thank you oh-so-much.**

* * *

Chapter 9: Shopping-List.

I got up early that morning so that I could savor the sunshine that shone on my skin, reminder of my pleasant dreams. But before I could relish the sensations, my stomach grumbled. Sigh. I was going to have to go to the supermarket soon and dive into the 300 dollars I had… 200 was to be saved. I took a twenty out of my stash and put it into my black leather handbag. My mother called this my diaper bag; I used it for its practical purposes, not its style. I sighed at the thought of my mother. If it weren't for her, I would have plenty of money; my debit card was safely in London, waiting to be mailed to me, once I got an address. Renee was still in her identity-theft phase, not letting me carry my info on the flight. Essentially, except for my driver's license, which I had shown at the school to be enrolled, I didn't exist. This idea amused me. I have always been invisible. Why not make it official?

I dressed quickly, and left for school. I was absurdly early. So was Mr. Muscley, from my first day. In retrospect, I should have seen this as the bad omen it was for the rest of my day. He was in the space in front of mine, sitting on the hood of his car, one leg hanging, the other bent at the knee, his elbow resting on it, his head, in turn, resting on the hand on the other side of the elbow. He was looking out into the distance, but stiffly, like he was posing, a bad model told to look introspective and thoughtful. My engine rumbled noisily into the space, but he ignored this. I got out, and he ignored this. Grabbing my books, I walked past him towards the building for my first class. _Wow… maybe I misjudged him. He is actually being quiet and introspective. See, Bella? See what happens when you judge people?_

Yes, I actually thought that.

But then he grabbed my wrist, and spun me in towards him. I limboed under his arm, twirled away from him, and folded my arms, giving a playful smile to counter the aggressive posture. After two nights at The Lodge, I was already getting good at that move. He raised an eyebrow, but didn't dwell on it…

"Isabella Marie Swan. The _hot_ new commodity." He gave me a full dose of what was obviously supposed to be a winning smile. Alice's voice sounded in my head, one of the many pieces of advice she had already given me played back. _So he is clearly into you, and he pays you compliments… this is easy to deal with, unaggressive. Deflect. Deflect, deflect, deflect. First say something that makes it sound like you are fishing for more compliments, and then change the subject before he has a chance to give you them. _Right. Easy. Deflect. I got this.

"I would hardly say that. But who are you? And how do you know my middle name?" he smiled as if he had been hoping for this question.

"Mike Newton. And, baby, as you will soon learn, I have my ways."

"Don't let Jessica hear you call me baby."

"Jessica?" He looked at me with confusion. And then alarm. "Oh Jess, we aren't really… I mean that I don't… And it's kinda… You won't tell anyone will you?" I was surprised. Mike didn't want to be associated with Jess? Huh.

"No." Even though I denied it, he looked at me with suspicion.

"How do you know?"

"I have my ways," I mimicked. I started to walk away, but he grabbed my wrist and pulled it in again. I ninjaed my way away again. He looked at me with a puppy dog face.

"One more question?"

"Shoot."

"Why are you wearing a paper clip?" I looked down at the wire that was still on the ring finger of my right hand. Laughing to myself, I looked up with un-breaking solemnity.

"I'm engaged."

***

I sat down next to Edward. He leaned over and whispered in my ear, sending shivers through every fiber of my being.

"No nap today?" I shook my head. He grinned.

"Well, what would you like to do today?"

"Um… My school work…?" He kept grinning.

"Done and done. Free day."

"Really?"

"Yep. What would you like to do?"

"I dunno."

"What do you normally do when you have free time in class?"

"Fortune Tellers."

"Fortune Tellers?"

"Yeah. You know." I made motions with my middle and pointer fingers and thumbs, trying to explain the foldables. He looked at me silently. I sighed. "Alright, just do what I do. It's easy."  
I tore a sheet of paper out of my notebook and pulled it up until the corner met the edge, and made a crease. I folded, unfolded, and refolded again the surplus paper, weakening the crease, until I could rip it off, leaving a straight, even edge, on a perfect, even triangle. I folded it in half, and then undid all of my work so that I had a square, with an X that started at the corners of the square. Edward looked at me.

"Why would you do that entire if just to u-" I glared at the interruption.

"Just follow." I looked at the square in front of me, and pulled all the corners down to the center, placing each on the point where the creases crossed, forming an X. I flipped it over, did the same on the other side. Flipping it again, I looked at the side with squares, and pushed a thumb and finger under each square, and finished by putting my fingers together, alternating between opening the folded paper horizontally and vertically. Looking over, I found Edward looking at me with a slight smile on his lips, the paper crumpled into a ball on the blacktopped table.

"So that's how you make those things." I grinned, and looked pointedly at the mass of destroyed paper before me.

"Fail." He shrugged. I made him another square of paper. "C'mon, It's not that hard…"

***

The Bell rang, and Edward had yet to make a fully functional fortune teller. He smiled at me sheepishly.

"I'll work on it." Aw. That's adorable. In a sexy way.

"Yeah. Bye!" He grinned at me, and that grin made me float to Spanish.

***

I was humming a tune from _Rent_ when I opened my locker. Dumping my Spanish, Government, Bio, and Math books to the bottom, and picked up a single spiral bound notebook and extra pen.  
Like a small, quiet bee, I didn't realize it was there until I felt the sting. I ripped the piece of notebook paper scotch taped to the back wall of my locker.

_**BB-**_  
_**Here's that list I told you about, remember? From least (flings, toys, but still MINE) to greatest (My boyfriend).**_  
_**Eric Yorkie**_  
_**Tyler Crowley**_  
_**The Football Team**_  
_**The Badminton Team**_  
I felt my jaw drop in disgust. I struggled to close it again.  
_**Riley Cyrus**_  
_**Dmitri Shven**_  
_**Felix Fletcher**_  
_**Sam Uley**_  
_**Quil and Embry Ateara**_  
_**Jacob Black**_  
Jacob? No, he had a girlfriend… What was her name? Leah? So, he was a crush, maybe? I'd have to warn him.  
_**Harry Popper**_  
_**Stan Shunpike**_  
_**Mike Newton**_  
_**Edward Cullen**_

The last name was written, unlike the rest of them, in black sharpie, and I was sure the tapered ends had been sharpened to a deadly point, the way they slied through My heart so easily. Ow.  
Edward Cullen was Jessica's Boyfriend. And he hadn't told me. Blinking back a betraying prickle in my eyes, I struggled to focus. Next period. Lunch. Lunch! I couldn't face them. Him. Luckily, the school let us out for Lunch. I would just go somewhere else. The supermarket. Yes! Hadn't I said this morning, albeit to myself, that I needed groceries? It was fate. Practically kismet.

I power walked to the truck, leapt in, and pulled away a little recklessly. Luckily, the ShopShopShop Mart wasn't far. A shiny silver Volvo pulled into the spot the next to me, out of all the parking spaces in the nearly empty lot. Creepy. I peered into the window, but they were so tinted, stupid shiny Volvo owner was only a black form. A little nervously, I went into the grocery. It was empty, which fed the tiny pebble of nerves in my stomach that warm golden light of the grocery couldn't dissolve.

I started my shopping. Soup. Good, filling, how the hell would I get the can open? I opted instead for chicken broth, good sustenance, easy to open, and five boxes for five dollars. Bread was on sale, I scooped up three warm baguettes. Ten dollars gone. Peanut butter would last, and would fill you up well. A basic raw veggie platter. Twenty dollars spent. I picked up a fruit platter to match the veggie platter, and chocolate, just for when I needed to feel better. And it was there, in the fruits and sugary sweets, where he found me.

"You know, pineapples aren't in season." I whipped around. There in all his mind-numbing hotness… No! I would not think that way, I wouldn't. He was a douchebag. Regardless of what his eyes did to my body that involved tingling. I collected myself enough to manage a glare.

"What are you doing here?" He shrugged, smirking.

"Followed you."

"Why, why would you do that?"

"Was worried."

"Can you talk to me in more than trisyllabic phrases?" He continued to grin so I turned back to the produce.

"C'mon, Bell. What did I do?" I felt his cool demeanor break. Good.

"It's more like _who _you did."

"What?" I wheeled around.

"Are you or are you not dating Jessica Stanley?" He treated me to a lazy smile.

"Bell, baby, I can't remember every girl I've ever-"

"Just. Answer. The question." I didn't know it was possible to yell through gritted teeth, but I seemed to be doing it now.

"She seems to think I'm her boyfriend."

"And what do you think?"

"She's a fun woman." The cruelest part of my mind supplied for me that 'fun' meant 'easy'.

"Omigosh. You're a manwhore. A manwhore dating a regular whore! I should've known, I work at The Lodge, for crissakes!"

"That's not very nice, Bella. Most girls are impressed. Flattered, even. Aren't you proud? You're my f-"

"DON'T you let that word cross your lips, Cullen. Don't even let it cross your mind. I will NEVER be your fiancée." I wondered vaguely if that jab had burned him as much as it had me. And as this broke off, I was airborne. Before I could cry out, I landed on the wooden bar that kept the pineapples from tumbling to the floor, and more importantly, Edward was leaning in, his lips at my jaw line, just under my ear.

"But Bella, love," He whispered, "You flirted back…" No. _No. __**NO! **_Little did Edward know, he had just crossed the line, found the only way he could've incensed me more. But you don't mess with a girl who has pineapple. I grabbed on to the green stems at the top and broke a pineapple over his neck.

"Arg!" He stumbled back, covered in yellowy pulp. But I wasn't done yet. I punctuated every few words with a throw.  
"How–" bunches of grapes- "DARE–" a bag of frosting- "you say–" apples- "I flirted–" a big mango- "with you!–" Caramel- "You scumbag! –" Chocolate sauce- "And to THINK!–" peanut butter- "I _trusted _you!–" Banana's- "Thought–" pudding- "you were–"whipped cream-" my FRIEND!–" The last, strongest weapon in my arsenal- marshmallow fluff. Everything I picked up off the shelf exploded satisfyingly on impact. Once I was finished, I wiped the sweat out of my eyes.

"What idiot is the genius in sales who put the fruit and dessert next to each other?" he growled. I let out a maniacal laugh. The manager of the grocery was running toward us and skidded to a stop.  
"Wh.. How.. I.." He stammered, looking fruitlessly at his produce section. Pun intended. Edward smirked.

"I'll pay for it, and the lady's groceries." He took out a well-made wallet and slapped something into the greengrocers hand. "Keep the change." Striding over to me, he wiped his lips with two fingers, and used them to paint my lips with chocolate. A small part of my mind told me this was in equal parts erotic, intimate, creepy, tingly, and emotions they haven't even been named yet. The rest of my mind was too blank and dumbfounded to listen. It kicked itself to life, when his newly chocolate free lips murmured, "I look forward to that date you _promised _me tomorrow, Isabella. See you then." And he was gone. The shopkeep looked at me with wide eyes, mumbled something about mops and ambled away. Collecting myself, I walked out to my truck. My mind was to occupied to notice that the Volvo was gone, and as I drove to school, I absentmindedly licked my lips.

* * *

**Alright, you knew the bad Edward had to be coming soon, didn't you? I mean, really. **

**Did anyone get the pun in my chapter title? That she is shopping, and she discovers the list? I thought it to be pretty damn amazing.**

**Hmm… So, good chapter length I think, so don't forget to review for Cullen's covered in dessert product. ~L**

**Wait, one more thing- Does it annoy everyone else when Bella is described (mostly by herself) in fics as having 'dull brown eyes/boring brown hair'? As a brown eyed, brown haired girl, I think I am not dull, thank you very much. **


	10. Ch 10 Lunch, Date

I chewed the end of a baguette as I drove to school, until it came to the point where if I didn't stop, I never would. But it felt so good, the texture soft and chewy, and the tinge of saltiness, which I hadn't tasted in so long. But as I wrapped up the bread again, I felt fed, but not satisfied, the deadish weight of hunger settling itself back into my chest.

Edward had the good sense not to show his face in biology, so I decided it was safe to once more brave the cafeteria, taking from my car a small cupful of chicken broth, a bit of bread, and a few celery stalks.

Hoping to stay discreet with my less then gourmet lunch, I power walked to the most deserted table. Then: "Bella!" The pixie had me. Shit. I was wise enough to know not to try and get away, and was subsequently plunked down next to everyone I had met in the two days previous. Jasper smiled in greeting.

"Hey, Bella, Baby!" Emmett roared. And Rosalie looked with derision at my lunch before flipping her blond waves over her shoulder.

"Anorexic much?" Alice arched her eyebrows at her, Jasper shot her a glare, and Emmett… Well, Emmett just looked uncomfortable.

"Rose, sweetie," he muttered. "We talked about this."

"No," she countered with indignation. "_You_ talked _at_ me." She got up, and stalked away. Emmett

looked at me with a face full of apology, and followed her. I sighed, and drummed my fingers on the table in a nervous tic.

"I am already causing trouble." I felt a cool hand fall on my twitching fingers. I looked up to see eyes that were a blue green, and the long blond hair that fell in them. If Edward wasn't so prominent in my mind, this man would've combusted me. But, with his hand on mine, I felt utter placidity that I couldn't place.

"No, you aren't, Bella. Rose is just… an anomaly. She'll come around." I grinned.

"Jasper?"

"Hm?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"If you will excuse the cliché, Bella, you just did. But, by all means continue."

"Why do you have a southern accent? No one else in the family does." To the left of me, Alice exploded in paroxysms of giggles. Jasper gave me a sheepish grin, and when he answered the twang was gone.

"Well, I don't really, but I have always been interested in the confederacy. And a while back I wrote a paper about it, and jokingly did the oral presentation in accent. Alice thought it was… sexy, I guess. So I always use it around her, and it's become a habit, and pretty much stuck. In fact," he said, the twang returning, "it feels weird to talk without it." I laughed, and Alice punched me in the shoulder.

"Stop making fun of us. You should be grateful; I am getting you ready for your date tonight."

"It's not a date!" I had to swallow my anger. "It is just… an obligation." Alice's eyes twinkled.

"It is still in date format, which means my services will be needed. What are you planning on wearing, your uniform?" Alice snorted delicately, and I immediately blushed at the idea of Edward seeing me in my uniform.

"Sweats." I grumbled, gesturing to the plain navy tracksuit I wore. She glared.

"You are never getting out of it now." Jasper whispered with the air of a co-conspirator.

*******

"Alice!" I whined. To shut me up, she shoved the straw in my mouth. Obligingly, I took a sip, and then was reeling. "Alice, what the hell is this!"

"Irish Coffee," she said, not really paying attention.

"ALICE! I'm seventeen!" My voice sounded shrill even to me as it rang indignation.

"Oh relax. You are going to fall asleep on your date unless you take something, and as of now, I certify you able to drink it, because desperate times call for desperate measures." She was kinda right; I was sort of drowsing in my chair. "And anyway, I changed the recipe. There is barely a shot in there." I reluctantly sipped the beverage, its chill and the sharp warmth of the barely there alcohol mingled pleasantly in me.

Alice was taking liberties with my body that I never would have allowed, were I not incapable of stopping her. After stripping me to a bra and panties, she pulled a dress that didn't flare out at all, over my head, it hugged every curve of me, with a sheer satin covering my shoulders, immediately followed by the clingy rose patterned fabric which ended somewhere above my knees. I felt rather self conscious in this, but when I mentioned it, Alice sent me a look so venomous I quickly quieted. Next a military cut coat that would keep me warm slid over my bare arms. I registered this; we were going somewhere outdoorsy, otherwise the coat wouldn't be important. Alice was just finishing my sliding my feet into shoes that I was very very sure she had invented. Douches. A leather boot with tie up laces and impossibly high heels. I groaned as she wedged them on my feet.  
"Well, you could always where your skates." Alice jibed. I quickly stopped my protesting as she pulled me up by my wrist, admiring her handiwork. When her eyes reached mine, they narrowed. "Ugh! You still look tired!" She dipped her fingers in something and poked me hard under my eyes.

"OW! That hurts! N- AL!" She huffed that sounded distinctly like "wuss," Wiping her fingers on her smock.

"Okay. You need one more thing." She ran to her closet, and pulled out something long and rod-like, and tossed it to me. I shrieked and fell down as it came. Alice picked it up, and stuck the end in my face, which I grabbed, and used as leverage to pick myself up. Alice let go of the other end, and examined an… umbrella.

"Alice, it isn't raining."

"Thank you, Captain Obvious. This is not an umbrella. This is a Venetian walking stick. Use it as

such." I opened my mouth to speak, but the door opened downstairs, and Alice dragged me to the hall in front of the stairs. "Okay, count to ten Mississippi, and follow."  
I counted to six and a Missi-, before rolling my eyes and heading down stairs, where I found Alice, doing something to Edward that, for a less delicate person, would be called bellowing.

"_**WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME IT WAS CASUAL, HM? FORGOT THAT LITTLE DETAIL? I HAVE HER IN EVENING! EVENING! HOW DARE YOU PRESUME NOT TO TELL ME WHERE YOU ARE GOING? I CAN'T SEE THE FUTURE, EDWARD! YOU SHOULD KNOW!"  
**_

Edward was really the only one who could handle Alice's temper, and sure enough, he was in a far less formal outfit then I: A casual pale green utility shirt, and black shorts, followed by black sneakers. Wow. He should found a cooperation, Insta-blush. Whenever you need to blush, say during a special occasion, first dates, weddings, bridal showers, bachelorette parties, hire Edward Cullen to look at you with his piercing hotness.

Woah… sidetracked.

Anyway, he wasn't shrinking under Alice, he turned up to look at me.  
"Wow. So… demure. And yet sexy. Thank you, Alice." I smiled, and then, with the last three words, my face fell. He was just saying that to shut Alice up. I went over and hugged the pixie in thanks, and was about to take the arm Edward offer, when I remembered my Ice Queen act. I stalked out the door without him. I heard him sigh, and Alice chuckle, as I stepped into the dark midnight. Feeling my way toward the car, I found the door already open, and Edward already in the driver's seat. He flashed me the Dazzly-Crooked-Smile-o-Doom ™ at me, and drove.

"You still drive too fast," I pointed out. He scowled. I snorted and rolled my eyes.

"That's kind of adorable, you know."

"Snorting?"

"Rolling your eyes." At something like this, I may have rolled my eyes. But there was no reason to fuel the fire. The fire had little to go on anyway. "We're here," he said quietly. I looked up. There was a gated expanse in front of us, and behind it, plants far too tropical for the region.

"The zoo?" I asked, with an eyebrow arched. He ignored this, getting out of the car and opening my door. "At midnight?" He smiled and nodded.

"Best time for it."

"And it's open?" He nodded, but hesitated first. I looked at him until he relented.

"Well, I know people."

"So you are a high class manwhore?" He arched his brows.

"I'm _your_ high class manwhore." At least now he is owning up to it.

"Like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman?" He regarded me with complete seriousness.

"Oh, exactly." We stared at each other, willing the other to laugh first. I lost, laughing so hard I forgot to glare as he pulled my through the gates.  
There were silvery lights everywhere as we walked through the exhibits. Edward, typical guy, liked the gorillas. I could've looked at the turtles for hours.

"I honestly don't see the appeal," Edward said as we watched the shelled creatures paddle past. I shrugged.

"They are versatile. Land and sea, Eat plants and Animals. They don't bother anyone, stay out of the way, aren't exactly glamorous, and are the universal symbol for awkwardness."

"So," Edward pondered aloud, clearly facetious, "You like them because you can relate to them?"

"Yeah," I muttered, grateful I didn't have to explain this.

"Bella," he murmured back, disapproving, "I was joking."

"But you got it right." He gripped the tops of my arms and turned me to face him.

"You can't believe that. You don't. I won't let you."

"I do… I have to… _TAKE YOUR HANDS OFF ME." _He released me like I burned and ran his hands through his hair as if in pain, muttering something that sounded like

"Harder than I thought… complicated…"

"Don't forget that I don't like you." I pointed out weakly. He raked still faster. "C'mon." I sighed at length. "Let's go look at the big cats." He stood, took my hand, and we walked over. I sat on the bench in front of the glass that held in the majestic creatures. Edward, seemingly returning to normal, smiled his smile.

"I'll go get dinner."And he walked away, flickering in and out of sight as the lamps washed silvery glow over him….

_Don't stare._

I turned my attention back to the lions, and notice a female resting just against the glass. I slid off my seat and went to sit next to her.

"Hey. Why are you so sad?" The lion raised her eyes to me and stared. When I didn't lower my

gaze, she huffed, and looked pointedly up the hill where two females were licking a male's mane. "Oh. Lovesick, eh.. I'm sorry, do you have a name?" She pulled a paw from under her and rested it just above a plaque in front of the glass.

_Linda is the newest lion to the zoo. She is an adolescent, prone to being over emotional. She loves to go for a swim, and her name is rooted in romance languages, meaning beautiful._

"Linda. Nice name. Linda, if you love that guy…" She pointed tail at another plaque.

_Lalo has been around here for a while now, and boy does he get around! His first name means 'rich guard', and for good reason!_

"If you love Lalo, Why don't you just go spend time with him?" She leveled an eye roll and glare at this. "Oh, I see what you mean. You think he will think that you are like one of _those _lionesses. Yeah, I guess I understand that. But you know you aren't, so why does that stop you?" She looked indignantly down the path Edward had gone down. "No, it's not the same thing, I... And he… And you are a lion." She gave a huff and looked exasperated. "Fine. Touché, I guess. But that's life, isn't it?" She gave a sad dip of the head. Wow, what a downer. I put my palm to the glass. "Linda, hey. Don't be sad. It will all work out. If he doesn't work his issues out there is always…" I looked down for another plaque. "Uh, Sheldon. Okay, maybe you stick it out, and Lalo changes." She looked at me with deep and amused eyes, then opened her jaws, and I was airborne.

_**EDWARD CULLEN**_  
Coke or Pepsi? I like Pepsi, but Bella, maybe she has a soft heart for the oldies. I picked both. Hm, alright, what else? Sunchips, always good… Chocolate, girls like chocolate, pretzels, some sort of granola bar, and two ice creams. I stuffed all of it in my back pack and tried not to run back to Bella. I thought I did pretty well, she would appreciate my down-to-earthness. When I reached my destination, she was whispering to a lioness that was three times her size. I was split between being nervous at her proximity to the big cat, and wondering whether she knew how beautiful she looked, with the crinkle above her eyes that she had when she was concentrating, and she was speaking in a hushed, placating voice. Then, the lioness opened its fearsome jaws. I lunged.

_**BELLA SWAN**_  
I shrieked. Edward had his arms around my waist and was holding me aloft, sprinting toward the exit.

"PUT ME DOWN!" Edward stopped, looked at me, and complied. "_What the HELL is wrong with you?_"

"IT WAS GOING TO EAT YOU!"

"IT's A SHE, NOT AN IT, AND THAT GLASS IS THICKER THAN YOUR SKULL! LOOK!" But I was giggling, and pointed to the glass.

The lion was affectionately licking the glass where I had just been. Then, noticing my absence, she looked around bemusedly, and her eyes settled on us. She huffed, and prowled away.  
I stared at Edward for a long while, and we burst into laughter. Still chuckling, Edward grabbed my wrist and used the leverage to sit me back on the bench, spreading a variety of vending machine confection between us. I sensed that making this our dinner was a struggle and a small triumph for him, a guy who I imagined as prone to lobster and the like, rich, romantic. As it was, I stared at the junk food with something akin to lust. No matter what it was, you could never go wrong when attempting to feed the homeless. He looked up.

"Hungry?"

"A little." I breathed, still staring at the colorfully wrapped sugar and Trans fat. He chuckled and tossed me a pack of sunchips, which I tore open snarfed down.

"So," he started. "Who are you?" I stared at him, bemused.

"I'm Bella, did you forget? Do you have so many other girls that you can't keep us straight?" Yeah, I know. Cheap shot. But he made it too easy. His eyes narrowed slightly.  
"I didn't ask your name, Isabella Swan," he countered pointedly, "I asked who you are. For example, I am an ambitious, musical, romantic, funny, protective, and modest seventeen year old male. Your turn." I sighed. Telling him about me was dangerous territory. I couldn't tell him or anyone else my secret. So I hestitated a while before answering.

"I am a clumsy, shy, literary, only slightly musical, did-I-mention-clumsy, seventeen year old turtle." He raised his eyebrows, and his look was pained, but he didn't argue the term.

"Then why do you work at The Lodge? Doesn't seem like a place for someone clumsy or literate, never mind literary." I chuckled in spite of myself, but inside, I was worried. This man asked questions that weren't probing, exactly, but way to close to the hidden part of me. So I shrugged.

"Need the money." He interpreted my short answer as tiredness, and pulled me up from the bench, handing me the chocolate ice cream and licking the vanilla. We licked in comfortable silence as we strolled back to the Volvo.

We drove back to his house and at his maniac speed, we were there in a flash. We got out and I followed him to the porch steps, with the intention of Alice bouncing out and handing me my clothes and keys. Instead, Edward pivoted, so that we were in classic post-date pose, my hands in his, hanging between us as we faced each other, inching closer.

"Bella," he asked, "Would you slap me if I kissed you on the lips right now?"  
Yes. Yes. The answer was yes. A player, and a jerk. Fucks so much, he probably has an STD.  
But really ridiculously good looking. And he made me laugh, and stayed by me. Isn't that what you are supposed to look for in a man? Maybe. But I was already playing Ice queen, and every good actress knows not to break character. So I said yes. Firmly. He smirked.

"Well, then, remember you set yourself up for this." He dropped a hand and twisted his free hand into my hair, pulling me closer with a light touch, and he kissed me.

On the forehead.

Swoon much?

I heard my breath hitch and felt the hum of the chuckle on his lips.

"Bye, Bella." He went inside. I wandered numbly to my truck.

_**ALICE CULLEN**_  
_Four hours previous_  
I closed the door behind them, laundry basket on my hip, smiling. _Edward and Bella sittin' in a tree. _I wandered into the kitchen where I found Jasper cooking. Damn, that was sexy. I sat on a stool of the island and watched him move as I folded laundry. Suddenly there was a crumpling in my hand. I looked down. It was the paper Bella had been carrying around for the past two days, holing it like a talisman, rubbing it as if to remind her of something. I pulled it out of the pocket of her uniform and eagerly unfolded it. I read, and watched red slowly cloud my sight as I did so.  
That whore. I would kill her. Poor Bella. Poor Edward, he would never get her now. I had to do something.

All of a sudden, I was pinned to the cold tile.  
Jasper.

"Now, for something really delicious," he murmured into my neck. Mmm. Edward and Bella could wait for now. We had fifteen minutes before Emmett bounded in for something to eat, and I intended to use them well. I wrapped my legs around him as he groaned, lowering his lips to mine.

**Alright guys, don't forget to submit a review they are very important this time, if I get more than I do with IF YOU WANT ME FOREVER, I will update this story for often then that one. If not…**

**Anyway, Props as always to my lovely Beta, miss nerdasaurus93. Love you, girl! Go read her story, it is awesome and yay.**

**Also, if anyone out there was wondering, this story is going to have, as it looks to be right now, 31 chapters, more or less. **

**Ciao!**

**~L**

**Wait, one last thing. Links for Bella's outfit are in ze profile. **

**Bye!**


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